Sheet steel package assembly

Abstract

A package for shipping stacks of sheet steel has a bottom tray which has three upstanding side walls and is open at one end. An L-shaped end cap fits outside the tray and provides an end wall for engaging an end of a stack of steel sheets in the tray. A rectangular cover fits over the tray and end cap for closing the package. A vinyl liner inside the steel package for further protecting the steel sheets from corrosion. The tray is stiffened in a lengthwise direction by timbers inside the tray under the stack of sheets, and on the outside by crosswise timbers which also permit access by a forklift or crane. The package is held rigid by steel straps encompassing the package.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet steel packaging arrangement comprising: a rectangular tray for receiving a plurality of sheets of steel, the tray having a bottom, an open top, a plurality of enclosed sides and at least one open side;   a top cover slidably engaging the tray for completely enclosing the open portions of the tray; and   at least one L-shaped side cover, each such side cover slidably engaging the bottom and an open side of the tray for enclosing each open side of the tray and fitting inside the top cover.   
     
     
       2. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 including removable U-shaped guide means for guiding the sheets into the tray prior to engagement of the top cover to the tray. 
     
     
       3. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 including means for stiffening the tray in the lengthwise direction, such stiffening means being located within the tray and engaging the bottom of the tray. 
     
     
       4. A packaging assembly according to claim 1 including crosswise members for supporting the tray at an elevated position to provide spacing between the tray and a supporting structure and stiffening the tray in a crosswise direction. 
     
     
       5. A packaging assembly for packaging sheet steel comprising: a rectangular tray having a bottom, an interior, and an exterior, the tray being open at the top, enclosed on each of three sides by an upstanding sidewall, and having one unenclosed side;   a tray end cover for engaging the tray along the bottom and the unenclosed side;   a rectangular top cover for covering the top of the combination of the tray and end cover;   a U-shaped guide for guiding the steel sheets into the tray prior to engagement of the top cover and end cover to the tray;   said guide removably engaging the interior of the tray during packaging of steel sheets.   
     
     
       6. A packaging assembly according to claim 5 wherein the guide means comprises a rectangular frame having one open side and three upstanding sides of height greater than the height of the tray sidewalls. 
     
     
       7. A packaging assembly according to claim 5 wherein the top cover has a cover top wall and four cover sidewalls, each cover sidewall having a height greater than that of each of the tray sidewalls. 
     
     
       8. A packaging assembly according to claim 5 including a plurality of lengthwise stiffening members resting against the interior bottom surface of the tray. 
     
     
       9. A packaging assembly according to claim 5 including a plurality of crosswise stiffening members engaging the exterior bottom surface of the tray. 
     
     
       10. A packaging assembly for packaging sheet steel comprising: a rectangular tray having a bottom, an interior, and an exterior, the tray being open at the top, enclosed on each of three sides by an upstanding sidewall, and having one unenclosed side;   a tray end cover for engaging the tray along the bottom and the unenclosed side;   a rectangular top cover for covering the top of the combination of the tray and end cover;   said tray end cover comprising an elongated L-shaped rectangular casting having a length conforming to the unenclosed side of the tray, open along two elongated sides and closed at each opposing end.   
     
     
       11. A sheet steel and package combination comprising: a stack of rectangular steel sheets, the stack having a top, a bottom, and four sides;   a rectangular bottom tray for enclosing the bottom of the stack and partially enclosing only three of the four sides of the stack;   means for partially covering the fourth side of the stack, such side covering means fitting outside the tray; and   a rectangular cover for covering the top of the stack and enclosing at least those portions of the sides of the stack not enclosed by the bottom tray and the fourth side covering means.   
     
     
       12. The combination according to claim 11 including stiffening timbers located between the bottom of the tray and the bottom of the stack. 
     
     
       13. The combination according to claim 11 including a weatherproof liner inside the tray and cover, and fully encompassing the stack of steel sheets. 
     
     
       14. The combination according to claim 11 including a plurality of straps encompassing the combination for holding the assembly intact. 
     
     
       15. A sheet steel and package combination comprising: a stack of rectangular steel sheets, the stack having a top, a bottom, and four sides;   a rectangular box shaped tray having a bottom, one open side, and three closed sides which are sufficiently high for partially enclosing the stack;   a side cap fitted over the tray at the open side for partially enclosing the stack at the open side of the tray;   a top cover having a top face and four downwardly extending sidewalls for engaging the combination of the stack, tray and side cap, and for enclosing the portion of the stack not enclosed by the tray or the side cap;   a plurality of lengthwise stiffening members arranged in a lattice between the bottom of the stack and the bottom of the tray;   a plurality of crosswise stiffening members engaging the tray from below the tray; and   a plurality of restraining straps encircling the combination of the stack, tray, side cap, top cover, and stiffening members.   
     
     
       16. A sheet steel packaging arrangement comprising: a rectangular tray for receiving a plurality of sheets of steel, the tray having a bottom, an open top, a plurality of enclosed sides and at least one open side;   a top cover slidably engaging the tray for completely enclosing the open portions of the tray; and   at least one L-shaped side cover, each such side cover slidably engaging the bottom and an open side of the tray for enclosing each open side of the tray and fitting inside the top cover.   
     
     
       17. A packaging assembly for packaging sheet steel comprising: a rectangular tray having a bottom, an interior, and an exterior, the tray being open at the top, enclosed on each of three sides by an upstanding sidewall, and having one unenclosed side;   a tray end cover for engaging the tray along the bottom and the unenclosed side;   a rectangular top cover for covering the top of the combination of the tray and end cover; and   wherein the tray end cover comprises an elongated L-shaped rectangular casing having a length conforming to the unenclosed side of the tray, open along two elongated sides and closed at each opposing end.   
     
     
       18. A packaging assembly for packaging sheet steel comprising: a rectangular tray having a bottom, an interior, and an exterior, the tray being open at the top, enclosed on each of three sides by an upstanding sidewall, and having one unenclosed side;   a tray end cover for engaging the tray along the bottom and the unenclosed side; and   a rectangular top cover for covering the top of the combination of the tray and end cover;   U-shaped guide means for guiding the steel sheets into the tray prior to engagement of the top cover and end cover to the tray, said guide means removably engaging the interior of the tray during packaging of the steel sheets.